Elegant Woodturning Gifts for the Home or...
 Whether you are a fine art wood turning
collector, having your home remodeled or just looking for that
little something extra for a special place in your home or
office, wood turned art may be just the thing you need. An
original piece of wood art turned will add class to any decor
and will be a pleasure to show off. Woodturnings can be made to
fit that special place in your home with shape, texture and
color to match your surroundings. Take your time as you look
through my woodturning gallery and gather ideas for a special
turning I can make for you. You may find just what you were
looking for already in the gallery. I would also be very happy
to do some custom woodturning for you. I see no reason to pay
Gallery prices from a website for wood turned art and would never charge those
high prices. I would rather see more people own woodturnings
because they could afford to purchase them and enjoy them.
Wood Art Turned
 Am
I an Artist? If you say so. Am I a craftsman? I think so. But
mostly I would call myself a wood turner. If I did not have a
passion for woodturning, I most likely would not be doing it. I
do believe one should put their best effort forward in anything
they set out to accomplish. If you enjoy what you are doing, you
will excel at that endeavor. Collecting wood that is destined
for the landfill and turning it (no pun intended) into something
another might enjoy is what it is all about. Seeing a log or
piece of wood evolve into a form that begs to be held, studied,
and used is what I strive for as an end result. I would hope to
never stop learning all that woodturning has to offer me and
what I can offer to woodturning. I enjoy reading woodturning
articles to help me learn and have a page on my site dedicated
to wood turning articles. Custom woodturning can be a fun way to
improve your skills. You can't send out a piece with mistakes.
With the woodturning tools I use, I can make wood art, pen
turning and everything in between.
Online Fine Art
Woodturning Gallery
 I
became a member of the AZ Woodturners Association and saw a
whole new world open up for me. I learned that taking lessons
from an accomplished turner was going to be a great benefit to
me and started signing up for what ever classes I could find. I
did not realize the magnitude at the time, but some of the
workshops I participated in were from internationally recognized
turners such as Soren Berger, Stuart Batty, Phil Brennion and
others. What a way to improve your skill level! I was also
inspired by visiting numerous local Art Galleries to see others'
skills. Fine art dealers are becoming more interested in wood
turned bowls and vessels as customer interest increases.
After my first year as a member of the Arizona Woodturners
Association, I became the Vice President under Tim Wadley, a
very accomplished turner himself. After that year I took over as
President and was for two years. Joining a local wood turning
association is highly recommended if you desire to improve your
wood turning skills, even if only for the pure enjoyment of
turning. I have also been a Board Member of the American Association of Woodturners and highly recommend joining this organization as
well. I am still involved with the AAW as an advisor.
Woodturned Bowls and Hollow Forms:
 The
wood turning process can vary greatly depending on the type of
turning you are doing. I now enjoy all types of wood turning and
have quite the assortment of tools for each particular job.
Learning what tool is best for what application comes with
practice and asking questions at your turning meetings and
workshops. I do not believe there is any such thing as asking
too many questions. When we stop learning, we stop growing.
The choice for lathes is also a very open and subjective area of
concern. I use two different lathes that are at the opposite
ends of the spectrum in size. Each lathe is used for different
applications. My main lathe is a Powermatic 4224 and my
secondary lathe is a Jet Mini. With these two lathes, I can turn
an object from 1" or less up to 24" in diameter. On my larger
lathe, I have had pieces weighing over 200 pounds when I started
turning them. Turning tools can be purchased or made in your
shop. In the last few years, turning tool manufacturers have
made enormous steps forward in the evolution of tools. There are
tools for almost every application in wood turning. If your
project requires a special size or shape tool, you can make one
for that particular job. Another good reason to join your local
wood turning association chapter is networking with other
turners that can teach you how to make your turning tools. It
really is not that difficult and can be fun to do in it self.
 A
picture of a nearby hiking trail I like
to travel to learn about the native
Kentucky trees. Living in an area where
the native trees are just perfect for
use in woodturning makes strolls through
the forest a wonderful time to plan and
design projects in my head or sketch
pad. The area is very tranquil and
conducive to figuring out design of my
next project. I think it is important to
note that I only use wood from trees
that would otherwise be used for the
fireplace or destined for the land fill.
I do purchase on occasion some exotic
species of wood for turning after
investigating the harvest practice of
the seller. I'm very much against clear
cutting tropical forests for monetary
gain. There are better ways.
Check out my
woodturning gallery and see if find
something you might like or send me your
idea for your very own wood turned art
vase, bowl or hollow form.
History:
 The
origin of woodworking dates to around
1300BC when the
Egyptians
first developed a two-person lathe. One
person would turn the wood with a rope
while the other used a sharp tool to cut
shapes in the wood. The
Romans
improved the Egyptian design with the
addition of a turning bow. Early bow
lathes were also developed and used in
Germany, France and Britain. In the
Middle Ages
a pedal replaced hand-operated turning,
freeing both the craftsman's hands to
hold the woodturning tools. The pedal
was usually connected to a pole, often a
straight-grained sapling. The system
today is called the "spring pole" lathe
(see
Polelathe).
Spring pole lathes were in common use
into the early 20th Century. A
two-person lathe, called a "great
lathe", allowed a piece to turn
continuously (like today's power
lathes). A master would cut the wood
while an apprentice turned the crank.
The term "bodger"
stems from pole lathe turners who used
to make the chair legs and spindles. A
bodger would typically purchase all the
trees on a plot of land, set up camp on
the plot, and then fell the trees and
turn the wood. The spindles and legs
that were produced were sold in bulk,
for pence per dozen. The bodger's job
was considered unfinished because he
only made component parts. The term now
describes a person who leaves a job
unfinished, or does it badly.
During the
industrial
revolution the lathe was
motorized, allowing turned items to be
created in less time. The motor also
produced a greater rotational speed for
the wood, making it easier to quickly
produce high quality work. Today most
commercial woodturning is done by
computer-operated
machinery
allowing for mass-production that can be
created with accurate precision and
without the cost of employing
craftsmen.
Despite this, there is still a demand
for hand-turned
products.
Woodturning is also a
hobby
enjoyed by many people.
Modern
professional woodturners are typically
either "production" turners producing
large quantities of functional pieces,
or artistic turners producing smaller
numbers of pieces, often enhanced after
turning by carving, piercing, coloring,
applying pyrography, gilding, or a
number of other techinques to produce
objects for the art market.
Types of
Turning Tools:
 Roughing
gouge - a wide fluted gouge used to initially round a wooden
spindle, and to roughly shape it. Generally not intended for
cutting end grain due to the large cut it takes and the
relatively weak tang connecting the blade to the handle. Unsafe
for making bowls or any faceplate work.
spindle gouge or detail gouge - a shallow fluted gouge used to
create details on spindles, including beads (raised portions of
the turning typically semi-circular in cross section) and coves
(relieved portions of the turning).
bowl gouge - a deep fluted gouge used to turn the outside and
inside of bowls and vessels. Often has a thicker shaft and
longer handle than a spindle gouge because it has to cut farther
away from the handrest.
skew chisel - a wide, steeply pointed chisel with the edge
running at an angle to the length of the tool. Used to smooth
flat spindles, cut beads, and add details. Skew chisels are only
used on spindle work (never on faceplate work) and are honed
after sharpening to create a razor edge.
parting tool - a pointed tool used to separate (part off) work
from the lathe, and to create a straight edge separating large
and small diameter sections - wide parting tools also called bedans are used to create evenly sized spindle sections.
hollowing tool - many different types of tools used to cut out
the deep sections of steep bowls, vases and hollow vessels.
Often with very long handles, to maintain enough leverage when
working in a deep vessel, far away from the handrest.
scraper - a tool that scrapes the wood fibers instead of cutting
- these are used to smooth off wooden items cut with other
tools, and to shape items that are not possible or difficult to
shape with gouges. A sharp scraper has a burr at the edge which
cuts the wood, only a dull scraper actually scrapes.
bowl saver - a tool used to core out the inside part of a bowl,
allowing the waste piece to be used to create a smaller bowl,
and to limit the amount of wood chips created when hollowing out
a bowl.
auger - a drill bit used to drill a hole partway or all the way
through a wooden item. For cutting the hole for a lamp cord, or
as the first step when hollowing out a bowl or vessel
chatter tool - a flexible scraper used to add decorative chatter
marks to turned items
wire - a simple wire, sometimes with handles attached at either
side, for the purpose of burning lines into the piece with
friction.
there are also several tool types for special purposes, as well
as tools that are a combination design of the above tools, i.e.
skew/chisel combinations, thread cutting tools, ring cutting
tools, medium fluted gouges, etc
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Usable
Woodturnings:
Woodturning Art that can be used
is a two fold benefit. When it
is not being used as a
utilitarian piece, it doubles as
a center piece.
Wood
Bowls:
Bowls make a great gift for
yourself or a friend. The bowls
I make can be used for everyday
food use or just for Art. They
are easy to take care of and
will last for years with proper
and easy care.
Vases/Hollow Forms:
Vases can vary in look and size
dramatically. Some can be used
for flower arrangements and some
for the pure artistic look they
show. A wood turned vase can be
placed anywhere in your home or
office and look wonderful.
Online fine art wood turning
gallery where you can find wood
turned elegance for the home or
office.
Imagination or the development
of ones own imagination seems to
me to be so important in
creating a woodturned art piece.
I find that living in an area
that promotes (at least for me)
comfort and relaxation, speeds
the woodturning design process
of each new turning. I feel very
fortunate to live in such and
area. If your ever in the area
and want to talk wood, just drop
me a line.
Woodturning
is a form of
woodworking that is
used to create wooden objects on
a
lathe.
Woodturning differs from most
other forms of woodworking in
that the
wood
is moving while a
(relatively) stationary tool is
used to cut and shape it. Many
intricate shapes and designs can
be made by turning wood.
There are
two distinct methods of turning
wood:
spindle
turning and
faceplate
turning. In spindle
turning, the grain of the wood
runs lengthwise, parallel to the
bed of the lathe. In face plate
turning, the grain of the wood
runs perpendicular to the axis
of rotation. Most bowls,
platters and many vessels are
face plate turned. Pens,
furniture legs, spindles, and
some vessels are spindle turned.
It is the orientation of the
grain that determines the method
in use. Spindle turning is named
for the type of product
originally produced, while
faceplate turning is named for
an early method of attaching the
material to the lathe.
The
distinction between spindle
turning and faceplate turning is
due to the fibrous nature of the
material. When wood is cut in
such a way that the fiber being
cut is not supported by the
fiber below it, it tends to
separate and tear. This "tearout"
exhibits a rough, highly
undesirable surface texture and
greatly reduces the value of any
product exhibiting it. The
direction of cut is different in
spindle turning and faceplate
turning because cutting in the
wrong direction causes tearout.
Spindle turning cuts are made
from high points toward the axis
on the outside of the piece, and
from the axis toward the outside
when hollowing. When faceplate
turning, the opposite applies.
Safety
When woodturning, it is
important to wear certain
personal protective equipment (PPE).
Loose clothing should not be
worn, all jewelry should be
removed, and long hair should be
tied back. Wood shavings
generated during turning will
also need to be periodically
removed.
Eye protection is a necessity
when woodturning. There are
several PPE available for eye
protection such as safety
goggles, glasses and visors,
some of which feature built-in
respirators. Although all of
these are adequate, for the
highest level of protection, a
visor that protects the entire
head from dust and debris should
be worn.
Respiratory equipment is also
important when woodturning or
doing any type of woodworking
that creates dust. This can
range from a simple disposable
dust mask, to a full face helmet
with built in respirator. Most
stand alone respiratory
equipment will interfere with
dust shields and visors, so
devices that incorporate both
are available. Many woods create
dust that is actually a health
hazard.
Ear protection Compared to other
power tools, a lathe is a
relatively quiet machine. Ear
protection should be used if
noise is excessive, this may be
due to motor (fan) noise from a
shop dust collector, or the
combination of wood and tool
being used. |
Woodturning Tools:
Turning tools are
generally made from three different
types of steel, Carbon steel, High speed
steel (HSS), and more recently Powdered
Metal. Comparing the three types, high
speed steel tools maintain their edge
longer, requiring less frequent
sharpening than carbon steel, but not as
long as powdered metal tools. The harder
the type of high speed steel used, the
longer the edge will maintain sharpness.
Powdered steel is even harder than HSS,
but does not take an edge that is as
sharp as HSS. Unlike other edged
woodworking tools, woodturning tools
require more frequent sharpening,
because the wood passes at a great
speed. To maintain a clean cut, the
sharpness of the tools edge must be
maintained. The sharpening process
requires either skill of the craftsman,
or one of the many available sharpening
jigs, which facilitate maintaining a
specific bevel on the tool.
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